If you move your round bales by hand, the Slow Bale Buddy is pulled over the bale until it is completely covered. The bale is then rolled over until the sides of the top opening can be pulled together, completely enclosing the hay in the bag. Unscrew one end of the safety fastener and starting at one end of the opening, thread the fastener through both layers of netting passing through every third set of holes until you reach the other end of the opening. Screw the end of the fastener back on and your hay is ready to feed. Please note:There is a green X on the center bottom of the bag. when you put the slow feeder over your bale the top opening will be exactly opposite the green X. If you are feeding large squares the flakes can be loaded into the Slow Bale Buddy to the desired fullness, or the net bag can be pulled over the bale while it is raised for transportation. If feeding small squares or loose hay load the desired amount into the slow feeder and close as above.

As with the Big Bale Buddy, great care has been taken to ensure that this product is safe for use with your animals. Because the holes in the netting are small (1 1/2 inches) there is nothing on a natural horse that can go through or get caught in the netting. The safety fastener is made out of extremely strong HPE plastic with round edges. If using horse equipment with buckles or snaps, care must be taken to ensure that they do not get caught in the netting. This can be prevented by wrapping the buckle and strap in masking tape so that the buckle is completely covered and secured to the strap.

*Please note: This slow feeder is not recommended for use with shod horses unless it is used inside of another feeder as the heel of the horseshoe can get caught in the netting, resulting in a pulled horseshoe or injury to the animal. Also, it should not be used with horned animals as the horns may get caught in the netting and cause injury.

We do not replace Slow Bale Buddy's that occasionally develop a small hole as these are easily repaired and do not affect the functionality of the feeder. However if your Slow Bale Buddy has more than 16 broken strands of netting within the first year, please contact us directly and we will replace it for you.

The Slow Bale Buddy is made of 100% nylon, and is heat shrunk to ensure a tight durable weave. Nylon is naturally rot, stain and UV resistant as well as being incredibly strong. All the seams are double bound and reinforced with nylon binding. The safety fastener is made with tough HPDE plastic and can withstand 5000 pounds of pressure. If small holes are repaired promptly, it should last at least 3 to 5 years with continuous use.

Yes, the weight of the netting will pull the extra netting down so that it pools around the base of the bale and stays open over the hay. The extra netting can also be taken in a bit by putting the fastener in lower down on the feeder.

Yes, many of our customers use them together to help protect the hay from the weather. When using the two feeders together hay consumption is slowed down still further, making this a good option for very heavy or overweight horses. If you are purchasing both feeders together to use in this manner, it is reccomended that you buy the Big Bale Buddy in the next size up so that it is easy to put on over the slow feeder.

To repair a hole, put both sides of the tear together and tie a double knot at each junction of the netting with strong twine until the hole is closed. (Binder twine works well for this and is always close at hand.)

Yes the Slow Bale Buddy can be used for all livestock providing they do not have horns. It is recommended that a rope be tied from the top of the feeder to an overhead support (branch, beam) and adjusted daily so that the slack is taken out when feeding goats and sheep so that they do not climb on the feeder.